Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Detroit Public Theatre

EIN 47-3449342 · Detroit, MI

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair63 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE DETROIT PUBLIC THEATRE PRODUCES NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PLAYS AND PROGRAMS WITH WORLD-CLASS WRITERS, DIRECTORS, ACTORS, AND DESIGNERS IN THE HEART OF DETROIT'S CULTURAL DISTRICT. THE ORGANIZAION CREATES BOLD, RELEVANT WORK THAT ILLUMINATES THE THRILLS, JOYS, AND CHALLENGES OF THE SHARED HUMAN EXPERIENCE.

Income
$1.8 million
Spending
$2.2 million
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
9.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 63%
Employees
93
Volunteers
22
Highest pay
$80,667, pro artistic

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 63% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 25% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    20 of 23 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $1.6 million spent. DETROIT PUBLIC THEATRE PRODUCED FIVE SHOWS AT ITS SPACE AT 3960 THIRD AVENUE: THESE SHOWS WERE FAT HAM BY JAMES I JAMES, DPT'S HOLIDAY CABARET, CONFEDERATES BY DOMINIQUE MORISSEAU, THE WORLD PREMIERE OF SOFT TARGET BY EMILY KACZMAREK, AND DETROIT '67 BY DOMINIQUE MORISSEAU. THERE WERE 106 LIVE PERFORMANCES, WITH OVER 12,500 TICKETS SOLD AND DISTRIBUTED.
  2. $224,177 spent. SHAKESPEARE IN PRISON (SIP) WORKED WITH AN ENSEMBLE OF INCARCERATED WOMEN AT WOMEN'S HURON VALLEY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY ON A PRODUCTION OF MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. SHAKESPEARE RECLAIMED, THE PROGRAM'S POST-RELEASE EXTENSION, PRODUCED A PERFORMANCE PIECE THAT FEATURED SIP ALUMNI SHARING STORIES WRITTEN BY SIP PARTICIPATES CURRENTLY INCARCERATED.
  3. $40,539 spent. DETROIT PUBLIC THEATRE COLLABORATED WITH THE DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMMUNITY DISTRICT (DPSCD) TO BRING STUDENTS FROM FIVE DPSCD HIGH SCHOOLS TO THREE PRODUCTIONS. STUDENTS FROM CASS TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL, RENAISSANCE HIGH SCHOOL, CODY HIGH SCHOOL, SOUTHEASTERN HIGH SCHOOL AND DETROIT SCHOOL OF THE ARTS PARTICIPATED IN IN-CLASSROOM LESSONS AND POST-SHOW DIALOGUES IN ADDITION TO THE STUDENT MATINEES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending July 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since June 2015.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.